Ginny's Gift
by The Little House Scribe
Summary: Harry's seventeenth birthday is fast drawing to a close, and Ginny is determined to give him her present before the day is out.  Will Ginny be able to succeed in her quest?
1. Chapter 1

"I don't mean to be cheeky," Harry Potter assured his hostess as she barricaded them inside her room. "But wouldn't it be easier just to give me my present?"

Ginny pursed her lips at the pile of items blockading her doorway. "Well, that'll hold them up for a little while."

Harry's attention was already on that fact. He was about to say something, but Ginny spoke too soon.

"What time is it, Harry?"

Harry fished into his pocket and pulled Fabian Prewett's battered watch out.

"Just after 9.00."

"Gives us just under three hours." Ginny looked up and her eyes blazed past Harry as she swore an oath to a play-worn old plush unicorn. "Harry is going to get his birthday present. And no one, not Voldemort and his monochromatic minions or over-protective family members are going to stop it!" Ginny declared dramatically.

Seemingly agreeing with this sentiment, the unicorn keeled over.

KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK!

"Who is it?" Ginny asked gingerly.

"Geeny, I think someone wants you." Gabrielle Delacour told her through the door.

"Who does?" Ginny challenged, her temper fuse short after all the constant interruptions she and Harry had suffered through the day.

"Err..." Gabrielle paused. "…Charlie?"

Ginny was just about to furiously deny Gabrielle's words as an attempt to split her and Harry, but Charlie rather rudely interjected with a squeal for assistance.

Harry pulled out his wand to defend Charlie against whatever terrible villainry he may encounter. Harry knew that he had a battle on his hands as he heard Charlie Weasley, handler-of-class-five-dangerous-creatures known as fire-breathing flying menaces called Dragons screaming like a toddler in a tantrum.

But the unicorn led a defiantly still blockade against him. Luckily, Ginny had a back-up plan.

She pulled a sheet away from the wall to reveal her battered broom in the corner.

"Well, it's not a Firebolt, Harry, but it'll have to do."

Ginny jumped onto the broom and Harry swung himself on behind Ginny, holding on with one hand as she shot out the window – well, shot out as fast as a Comet 180 could. Arnold the purple Pygmy Puff bounced to his human's aid, but being a Pygmy Puff, fell from the window-sill as he tried to leap onto the tail-twigs of the broom. He was saved when Harry lost his grip when Ginny pulled the broom up to point at the sky, at which point the up-side-down Harry who was holding onto the broom with his legs, saw a flash of fluffy purple in his eyes and scooped it up. Arnold gave his hand a grateful lick before scurrying up his jeans and onto the comfort of Ginny.

"At something has retained his senses." Harry muttered as he righted himself.

Ginny steered the trio up the outside of the Burrow, and Harry charmed open Bill and Charlie's window. Charlie let out another scream as they closed in.

"Harry, secure my weeping brother!" Ginny commanded and Harry obliged, leaping off the broom and pulling Charlie behind him, shouting "Protego!" as he did so.

Ginny saw a flash of steel glint in her eyes. Recognising the threat, she spiralled her broom into a dark area roundabout, causing someone to gasp as the wind was knocked out of it. Ginny's eye caught the metallic flash again, and she tackled the threat over, seizing the deadly weapon out of her opponent's hands as Arnold slapped the foe's cheek with his tongue.

"What have you got to say for yourself, you knife-wielding infiltrator?" Ginny demanded as Harry cast his Lumos spell.

"Ginny, get off your mother." A throughly battered and unimpressed Molly Weasley told her intensely blushing daughter while Harry and Charlie and Arnold looked on, lost for words.


	2. Chapter 2

Harry stood loyally by Ginny as she was being interrogated by her mother. Mrs Weasley had assured Harry that he had done nothing wrong, and was just trying to help Charlie, and therefore was free to go. But Harry was determined to clear Ginny's name too.

"Once again, I'm really sorry Mrs Weasley." Harry apologised profusely once again.

"Harry dear, you had nothing to do with it. Ginny flew that broom and leapt on her own mother." Mrs Weasley glared at her daughter, who glared back, sorrowful but a little miffed.

"Well, Charlie was screaming for help. I couldn't just leave him, Mum." Ginny protested.

"I do not scream." Charlie declared indignantly as he paused in the doorway of the kitchen. Bill appeared next to him.

"Yes you do little brother." Bill taunted in a sing-song voice.

"Never!" Charlie manly retorted.

"Uh-huh."

"Nuh-uh!"

"Uh-hmm. When you caught the Snitch to give Gryffindor the cup back in your second year, you were screaming and shouting all the way into the castle."

"Very deep and manly celebratory roars!" Charlie told his elder brother.

"Girly squeals." Bill returned.

"Alright, Ginny, it was a mistake, but please, be more careful. And Charlie, don't worry your sister with your screaming. You're going to look decent as best man for your brother's wedding. That mangy mane is getting groomed and that's all there is to it!"

Ginny thought that her troubles were over, but most unluckily for her, Hermione tried to get into Ginny's room where she slept.

"Err, Ginny, are you in there?" Hermione asked. "I can't get the door open."

"Oi, forget about snogging behind that door!" Ron told the door. "Come out where everyone can see you!"

There was a slight but terrible pause.

"Err, I mean, just come out where everyone can see you. Just forget the snogging part."

Another awkward pause.

"Umm, Ron, who can Ginny snog around here? Options are kind of limited for her." Hermione pointed out reasonably.

"She only needs one option, you know that, Hermione. Besides, Ginny may be popular but she is loyal to her relationships. And it just so happens that there is a person who fits the exact measurement right here."

"Yeah, but he's not going to do anything, not after what you told him. Which I must say I disagree with. They should be allowed to sort their own relationships out – they aren't babies anymore, Ron."

"Hey, are you a male? Have you got the ruggedly handsome good looks? Trust me, I know men. I was snogging Lavender for months – it wasn't very nice actually after the novelty wore off. I reckon my best mate feels the same."

"Perhaps kissing Ginny isn't as unpleasant as kissing Lavender was to you Ron as it is to Harry."

"Which exactly proves my point!" Ron declared triumphantly, as George entered the kitchen downstairs.

"Who's Barry?" George asked the stunned occupants of the chamber of cookery. "No, really, who's Barry. My hearing isn't so good these days…"


End file.
